Notice to new members intending to register - from January 9th 2012

8588 · #1 03-05-2012, 04:29 PM

I'm trying to found out if I can get married to my girlfriend in Albion. C.F

**LeBeau** · #2 03-05-2012, 05:02 PM

Theoretically, assuming you are both legally free to marry and that you and she can leap through the hoops of the approval process, then, yes, as of July last year, you should be able to have the same marital opportunities as every other couple with one partner incarcerated in New York.

Whether additional roadblocks are encountered by same sex couples seeking approval to wed in the NY prison system, that will be another question- So much of the process is at the discretion of the prison's administrative staff that it's hard to say whether the state's recent leap into marriage equity will be given full faith and credit behind the walls of New York's prisons and, if not, it will be slow going to prove discrimination.

So, the short answer is yes.
The real answer that you can only find out by beginning the process and I'd advise you to seek guidance from an organization that is already familiar with the issue of marriage equity in New York- GLAAD or the HRC may be able to refer you to the right places.

8588 · #3 03-05-2012, 06:26 PM

Thankz cuz we was talking about it she said she was going talk to her worker or the marriage person to see if we can get married a lot of my pplz said we can so it shouldn't be a problem

**LeBeau** · #4 03-05-2012, 07:14 PM

If you *do* encounter roadblocks that feel like they are rooted in bias instead of legitimate policy, you'll need to really consider whether to set the issue aside for a while or press forward as a test case- the latter being a bit of a nightmare, to say the least.

The process *should* be the same for you as for any other couple but progress is typically quite slow to reach marginalized populations such as the incarcerated, so I wish you the best but I want you to be totally aware that there may be a greater challenge involved than there should be.... not wanting to be a wet blanket but don't want you going in unprepared.

8588 · #5 03-05-2012, 07:22 PM

Well we going to try to see what happens and if we can't than we'll wait until she come home